Brush



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G. c. CLEAVES BRUSH Filed Feb. 4, 1950 May 31, 1932.

, Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES [PATENT- OFFICE.

GEORGE". dormvne, or iWOLLASTON,. massscnusnr'rs, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL BRUSH oomrm, or QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHU- BRUSH Applicationeflld February 4, 1930. Serial No.425t786.

I This invention relates to a brush and to a method of making the same" 'One object ofthe invention is to provide a novel and superior brush which may be economically manufactured and in which the inventionis to provide a novel rotary brush which possesses characteristics which are adapted particularly for certain industrial purposes and which mum expense. a V I A Still'further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of making" the immay be made at miniproved brushes.

With these objects in View and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention coni V sists in the brushes and methodhereinafter described and particularly defined in the.

claims atthe end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of'the .invention, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustratingthe construction of the presentbrush; Fig-2 is an enlarged detail in longitudinal section; Fig. 3 is a perspective View illustrating the preferred manner in which the individual brushjmaterial is formed into a strip to be used in the construction of the present brush;

- Fig. 4 is a modified form of strip which may be used forsuch purpose; and" Fig. 5 is a cross-section takenon the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Ingeneral thepresent invention contemplates a brush in which brush' material in helical form'is interposed between the convolutions of a helical retaining member to be held in brush forming position and in the preferred form of the invention the retainwill be formed into strip form, and the strip ing member may comprise a relatively stiff helical spring, andthe brush material may preferably be preformed into the form of woven-by means of binding strands into strip form. The o present construction of brush is particularly adapted for the manufacture of elongated cylindrical brushes, and in such an embodiment of the invention it is preferred to construct the brush upon a rigid metal tubular support with a helical spring wound thereon and with the strips of brush material helically wound around the support so that the individual brush mate- 1313i stands out at right angles to the support and with the butt ends of the strips interpos'ed between and clamped by the convolutions of the helical spring. The strips of the brush material may be also cemented between the convolutions of the spring. Provision is made for enabling the tubular supporting member to be mounted upon a shaft in order to enable the brush 'tobe rotated.

- Referring ,now to thedrawings, the different featuresof the invention are illus "trated as embodied in .an elongated rotary brush adapted for use in the tanning, printing and allied industries for the distribution of color'or othermaterial upon the leather,

'cloth, or other material, and wherein 1O rep: resents the supporting member comprising preferably an elongated steel tube into the ends'of which may be driven plugs 12 se- "cured in fixed relation to the tube by pins -13, or inany'other convenient manner. The plugs-'12 are each provided with a central .openingl for the reception of the shaft upon which the brush is to be mounted in themachine in which'it is to be used. The

tubular supporting member is provided with a helical brush retaining member-comprising preferably atempered, relatively stiff spring 16, the sides 17'of each convolution, iof which are'preferably'fiattened to afford a substantial bearing to retain brush material 20 interposed between the adjacent convolu- 7 "tions of the springllG.

The brush material 20 may and preferably maybe wound around the supportingtube tions'of thespring. In making'the' illustrated snugly engage the tube prior to the introcylindrical brush, I prefer-to first assemble 'the spring 16 uponthetube 10, with the size of the spring such that it will more or less rubber latex, is then wound around the support with the butt end of the brush material interposed between the convolutions of the spring which have been spread apart. The wedging operation and the introduction of the brush material is continued until the brush material has been interposed between all of the convolutions of the spring, whereupon the second end 24 of the spring is then secured in fixed relation to the tubular supporting member 10 as by a second pin 26 or otherwise. 7

In producing. the illustrated cylindrical brush, the brush material may and preferabijv will be first woven into strip form in accor ance. with my Patent No. 1,663,584, above referred to, such a strip being illustrated in Fig. 3. In producing the brush it is preferred to utilize a single continuous strip of the brush material helically wound around the supporting tube 10 between the convolutions of the spring so that in the completed brush the brush material is all in the form of a single strip,thus contributing to the durabilit of the brush as well as the economy of manu acturing the same. The coil spring is as above stated, preferably provided with flat tened sides as illustrated at 30 to afforda substantial bearing area for the spring in engaging and clamping the brush material.

Instead of forming the brush material into strip form in accordance with my patent above referred to in which the tufts of the brush material are connected by; binding strands woven in and out around the bundles, I may also form the brush material into strip form in other known ways, such for example as that illustrated in Fig. 4, in which the individualbristles are connected into strip form by binding tapes 40, 42 laid upon the opposite sides of the mass of bristles forming the strip and stitched by a plurality of rows of stitching to each other and through the interposed mass of bristles. I

terial being preferably in the form of a pre-v formed strip may beeconomically assembled .with. relation to the supporting member, and

when assembled is retained by the cooperat on of the spring therewith and also by the continuity of the strip itself. The present or other cement with so construction of brush lends itself to the use of a steel or other metal tube which may be imperforate and possess considerably greater strength and durability than the perforate wooden hubs heretofore used. Experience has shown that such perforate hubs gradually sag, particularly with elongated brushes such as are used in the tanning industry thus shortening the life of the brush considerably and preventing its most eflicient operation. The helical form in which the brush material is wound around the tubular supporting membar enables the brush as it is rotated to present a continuous surface of the brush material to the work, avoiding the formation of streaks and other irregularities therein.

Another important advantageous feature of the present brush resides in the ease with which it may be refilled after it has become worn in use. The strip of old brush material may be removed b softening the latex lventfspreading the convolutions of the spring and then removing the worn brush strip. In this manner a new brush may be produced using the old tubular support and the s ring, contributing to the economy of manu acture.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims. w

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is p ,1. A rotary brush comprisinga metal supporting tube, a coiled spring wound thereon, and brush material interposed between coils of the spring and secured in operative position uponthe supporting tube with the butt ends of the brush material resting a ainst the surface of the tube, said coiled spring being formed of material having only sufiicient flexibil ty to ermit it to be shaped into helical form an with the convolutions of the spring spread apart by the inter osed brush material whereby the tendency o the convolutions of the spring to return to their normal position exerts a clamping action on the brush material.

A rotary brush comprising an elongated supporting member, a coiled spring wound thereon, and brush material secured in operative position upon the supporting member by the coils of thespring, said spring being relatively non-flexible but capable of being spread longitudinally by the brush material interposed between the convolutions of the spring to be clamped bythe spring action thereof. I f I 3. A rotary brush oomprisin spring, brush material interposed etween the coilsiof the spring to be secured in fixed relation thereto and to spread the coils of the springlso that the spring exerts a action upon the brush' material.

acoiled" 4. A brush comprising a supporting memher, a coiled spring operatively positioned thereon, and brush material interposed between the coils of the spring to be secured in operative position upon the supporting member and to spread the coils of the spring so that the spring exerts a clamping action thereon.

5. A rotary brush comprising an elongated metal supporting tube, a helically wound coiled spring upon the tube, and a helically wound strip of brush material interposed between adjacent coils of the spring to be secured upon said supportingmember and to spread apart the coils of the spring so that the spring exerts a clamping action thereon.

.6. A rotary brush comprising an elongated metal supporting tube, a coiled spring wound thereon,'and awoven strip of brush material wound upon the support with portions of the strip clamped between the adjacent coils of the spring by the tendency of the coils of the spring to resume their normal position.

7 A brush comprising a supporting member provided with a helical retaining member, and brush material in strip form interposed between and secured by the adjacent individual sections of the retaining member, said helical retaining member being, formed of a relatively stiff non-flexible material whereby it retains its helical formation both .when positioned on and removed from the supporting member.

8. A brush comprising a metal tube, a preformed metal coiled spring mounted thereon, capable of resuming its normal posi- I tion when distorted, a preformed strip of brush material Wound helically around the supporting tube and with the butt ends of the strip of brush'material restingagainst the surface of the tube and positioned be-V tween adjacent convolutions of the spring to spread the same apart andthereby cause the brush material to be clamped by the convolutions of the spring.

9. A brush comprising a supporting mem her, a preformed strip of brush material ar- I ranged in helical, form on the supporting member and extending substantially perpendicularly to the surface thereof, anda helical metal retaining member for securing the 7 brush material upon the supporting memher, said helical metal retaining member bemg capable of retaining helical formation bothwhen positioned upon and removed from the supporting member.

Intestimony whereof I have signed name to this specification.

GEORGE o. CLEAVES. 

